Fanz,
As you posted a Hydrogen Audio link regarding Replay Gain (RG), you'll understand that RG is a widely used and deployed technology for normalizing the playback volume of music.
RG does this by storing metadata in the music file that informs the playback equipment to increase or decrease the baseline volume setting. One track may require a +5dB increase in baseline volume, while another track may require a -0.5dB decrease.
Most playback mechanisms (including my Squeezebox 3) will handle the RG adjustments in the digital domain, adding or subtracting as needed from the digital audio samples. However, this is less than ideal and can affect the music due to lack of sufficient precision and/or, possibly, the lack of dithering.
The point of RG is one of convenience so that when playing a random sampling of tracks, the user does not experience wildly varying playback volume from one track to another. This is typically representative of a "casual" listening situation in which the tradeoff of consistent playback volume versus possibly lower-quality audio is worthwhile.
Now, as for Meridian, Sooloos and RG, I haven't specifically read what Meridian is claiming, but from previous posts here, I will speculate.
In an ideal audio reproduction chain (Meridian or not), volume control is best done in the analog domain at the final pre-amp output point, just prior to the final amplification gain-stage prior to the speakers. I cannot locate a reference right now, but I am certain that Meridian has always implemented a hybrid digital-analog volume control in its products. That is digital control of the analog pre-amp gain-stage.
In a Meridian processor/Analog speaker setup, this volume control is done on tha analog preamp outputs. In a Digital speaker setup, the digital data is unaffected by volume setting and volume control is handled in the DSP speaker in the analog domain just prior to the amp driving the speaker cone, which is communicated via the comms cables.
Now, bringing this full circle to RG and Meridian/Sooloos, if the RG metadata information can be sent from the media playback client (i.e. the Sooloos) to the Meridian processor, then the baseline volume control adjustment can be handled at the appropriate stage in the audio reproduction change. The Meridian processor can adjust the baseline volume output of it's preamp stages or incorporate the RG information into the volume control information that gets passed to the DSP speakers.
If Meridian does indeed accomplish this, I think it will be something fairly unique in the industry. This would provide the best of both worlds, normalized volume playback levels, yet without possibly degrading the quality of the audio in the digital domain.
Regards,
Dan
Google Search
|
Meridian Systems
|
Meridian Streaming
|
Restaurant
|
WiKi
|
Duncan's Meridian Info
|
Board Rules
|
Restaurant Rules
